Premiere New York Premiere
Production Language English
Country of Origin United States
Description The New York premiere of /peh-LO-tah/, a performance work by award-winning poet-performer Marc Bamuthi Joseph, explores the links between dance and sport, as well as the complexities of soccer—the world’s most popular game—as a source of both joy and exploitation. Based on the artist’s own experiences playing the game as an American child of Haitian immigrants, as well as his travel journals from visits to World Cups in South Africa and Brazil, /peh-LO-tah/ deftly mines the political, economic, and social significance of the spinning ball (pelota). It is, per Joseph: “a dance about the economy, choreographed to the rhythm of the beautiful game.” /peh-LO-tah/ combines Joseph’s signature spoken word and charismatic storytelling with live music and choreography inspired by South African and Brazilian movement styles and techniques from the soccer field. The production also encompasses silhouette, shadow play, and video production in addition to showcasing the powerful physicality of the production’s dancers and musicians, delivering a multi-dimensional theatrical experience both immersive and illuminating.
Identifier 2017f.01019
